texasag93 Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 OK, I have searched and found no helpful info. on 3.5" shotguns. I am looking to buy one and don't know enough about them to decide. I know some of you guys that shoot skeet, trap and clays also have 3.5 for hunting. I think I want a gas gun over a recoil. What I am really wanting to know is which is the most reliable and durable. I really am a Remington fan first. But, Browning, Winchester, and Beretta also make nice gas guns also. I have read that the 11-87 3.5" is a big POS(couple of guys opinions, or any truth?) The Beretta Extrema looks nice. Winchester and Browning, basically same gun? I have heard bad things about Beretta(benelli) customer service? I will be using it to shoot skeet, sporting clays, and trap as practice for what I really am buying it for, waterfowl and Turkey. I really like using the gun I hunt with for practice. OK, to the point, which is the most reliable in the field(water, mud, dust, extreme temps)? Which will hold up better in the long run? Price is really low on the list. I am the "you get what you pay for" type. This shotgun will be for turkey, waterfowl and lots of practice shooting skeet and trap with cheap 2.75" shells. I hear companies advertise that their 3.5"s will run 2.75, 3 and 3.5 shells with no problem. I haven't seen that to be the case. Thanks for the info guys. TXAG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 The Beretta service seems to be good. Benelli's service is what everyone hates. Sporting Clays reviewed the Extrema a couple years ago. The gun even runs light trap loads with no mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 From my experience, the Berreta, for a field gun, is as very reliable. As for customer service, my experience has been good including running into the factory rep at a store in Yuma, AZ while on a hunting trip. Dad was complaining about something being weird and he says, " oh , the shwoopdeflop needs to be replaced." Of course my dad shoots a discontinued gun (AL2) and the store doesen't have the part. So the rep goes to his car, pulls the part out of some repair kit and puts it in the gun. Dad says" How much?" Rep says " no charge". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedale Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 You can't go wrong with the Beretta. They just run. I bought mine used and haven't had a bit of trouble with it. Good Luck, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted August 9, 2004 Share Posted August 9, 2004 OK, to the point, which is the most reliable in the field(water, mud, dust, extreme temps)? Which will hold up better in the long run? Price is really low on the list. I am the "you get what you pay for" type. This shotgun will be for turkey, waterfowl and lots of practice shooting skeet and trap with cheap 2.75" shells. TXAG, The Benelli is the only answer, unless you are willing to shoot a double barrel or over/under, for reliability in VERY adverse conditions. (Although for waterfowling & clay games I would choose an over/under) Gas gun reliability goes to Hell in a handbasket when the cold/wet/muddy/dusty conditions set in, somthing you may have seen a time or two when hunting waterfowl??? Yes, you guessed it, I am a Benelli Snob, and that's just the way I see it... In my favorite game (3gun) if ANYTHING else proved to be more reliable & maintainance free I would immediately switch from Benelli.. JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasag93 Posted August 10, 2004 Author Share Posted August 10, 2004 I have been looking at reviews of many gas and recoil operated guns. I have to friends who guide goose and duck hunts on the Texas coast. BOth told me I would be sorry if I bought a Super BLack Eagle. Both said they were POS's. I can't believe that but they both had them and both got rid of them. I like the 11-87. Guess cause it is a Remington?! I like the looks of the Xtrema. Talked to a friend of mine who owns a local shop and works on all types of shotguns. He said the Xtrema wasn't bad but that he preferred the 11-87? I don't think there is a straight foward answer to this question. I am not a Winchester fan. I have shot an X2 and it seemed alright. Browning Gold, basically the same gun. I have seen where people think the 11-87 is out dated technology? I also have a problem with Benelli's lack of decent customer service. I have heard horror stories on getting things fixed and parts for them. I don't care if I have one that never breaks, I won't support a company who doesn't support their customers. I will keep researching. Thanks for the input guys. TXAG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD45 Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 When your friends got rid of their Super Black Eagles, what did they switch to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasag93 Posted August 10, 2004 Author Share Posted August 10, 2004 Win. SX2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 I didn't actually read the reason that you wanted the 3.5" initially, and had planned to say something different, but since you want it for waterfowl and turkey then it tells me that you want the chambering for something worthwhile. I believe that with the 3.5" gun, you may be limited to heavier target loads for trap and skeet so that the action absolutely works. I have the 3" Gold and it will reliably cycle 7/8 ounce 1200 fps shells. I believe that the 3.5" model will reliably shoot 3.25 dram 1 ounce or better loads (1290 fps, 1 ounce). There is loading data for the 3.5" hull that can outperform the factory fodder. I'd research the Ballistic Products web page for loading data, manuals, and components. Again the X-2 is nice, but I believe the speedload function the Gold gives is worth the money. I shoot a 3" Gold Hunter (everyone admires the stock ). I don't have a whole lot of experience with the other guns in 3.5". Dad had a 3.5" Browning BPS. He never took advantage of the 3.5" chamber and he sold it after 1 season. I thought it was a mistake for him to buy it since he'd always been a semi-auto shooter (He'd always forget to pump it). It was well built but heavy. If you don't mind huffing the extra weight, a 3.5" gun is ok, I prefer a little less weight and the ability to shoot lighter loads, hence the 3" Gold Hunter. Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedshooter Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 I use a 3.5" SX-2 for waterfowl and Turkey and love it. Even though the Winchester and the Browning are basically the same gun there is a difference in how they fit and point. The Winchester fits me perfectly, the Browning doesn't. (The rib is higher for one thing). Also I have never had any sort of jam in 3+ years of hunting and trap shooting with my Winchester, shooting everything from light trap loads to 3.5" BBB steel. If you hunt geese the 3.5" is the way to go in my opinion, the difference in lethality when using steel shot between the 3" and 3.5" is remarkable. One side note about the Bennelli, my hunting partner uses one and when standing in the blind, holding it by the barrel with the butt on the ground it will occasionally come slightly out of battery and it is always amusing to listen to him cuss when I'm knocking down ducks and he is trying to figure out why nothing happens when he pulls the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasag93 Posted August 25, 2004 Author Share Posted August 25, 2004 OK, I got a new shotgun. I didn't get a 3.5" gun. I found a like new 1100 for a VERY CHEAP price. It fits me perfect and it runs great. It only shoots 2.75. I have already bought three boxes of Rem. Heavy Shot for duck season. I wasn't willing to get in a hurry and get something that I was not happy with so I will wait. If anything I have a good start on a 3-gun shotgun. Thanks for the info guys. TXAG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdragon Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 When You start looking again, look at the Benelli super black eagle, used one and loved it, 3.5" 26" bbl, I know it sounds short, But I have shot ducks and geese in CO. with it. Great gun. Ivan SCS Vegas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Even if your gun is the 2.75" gun, you can do pretty well with it. The old stand by load for years was 3 3/4 dram with 1.25 ounces of 4, 5, or 6's. That used to be THE load for ducks before the "Magnum" craze. I generally load 1.125 ounces of #2 or BB steel to a velocity of about 1400 fps. It has taken everything from the smallest teal up to Honkers and Snows quite a ways up. I did however take a Honker at about 50 paces with 1 shot some time ago. It was at a 25 degree angle to me. It surprised the heck out of a hunting buddy. The gun I was using at the time was Browning B80 in 2.75". It worked for me. I stopped using it due to it requiring heavy target loads to work the action, I didn't like being beaten up, hence the Gold Purchase Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AH6IP Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Spend just a little extra and get a Browning Gold. As far as fit and feel, it's all based on the model (Stalker, Fusion, etc) you prefer. It is probably the best made shotgun out there. Yes, a Benelli is a good gun, but after a few rounds of 3.5 through it, you will learn to hate it (and service sucks). And yes, the Win and Browning are very similar, the Browning a simpler mechanism. The gas system is definitely the best one out there. My 2 pesos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike.45 Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Listen to AH6IP, Sargenv and speedshooter and you will not go wrong. I have two 3 1/2 chambered SX 2's and two 3 1/2 chambered Golds. Both guns types are fantastic and will be excellent for what you require. For 3 gun I would take the gold over the SX but that is only cos of the loading mech and it reduces time. The 3 1/2 Super Magnum SPS by Remington is gas also but I have only seen one - and it broke or stopped all the time, at least once every 50 rounds. Benellis hurt my poor little shoulders I have to disagree with JJ on this one but he already knows I am an argumentative bugger Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Mike, an argumentative bugger? Yep... "es off is ead!" (that's my best keyboarded Brit accent...) Again I say, if ANY auto loader proved to be more reliable and maintainance free than a Benelli, I would be shooting it in 3gun. I still think I would just use a O/U for bird hunting; simple, easy to use, and way more reliable than any auto loader. JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasag93 Posted September 2, 2004 Author Share Posted September 2, 2004 O/U are very nice and very pricey. I wouldn't go with one of the less than superior O/U that I have seen. This would put me in a price range where I get a little shy. I love guns but I am not wealthy. $1600 would be the high end for any gun(I shoot a P16 or G35 in IPSC) The O/U I have liked are in the $1800-2000 range and not anything I would ever take into a duck blind. I have limited my choices to the Beretta, Browning/Win. I will be able to shoot both before I make my decision for the 2005 turkey and duck season. Until then I still love shooting my cheap ass 1100. TXAG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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